Campeche
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Five year old Tony joins his family for a Mexican vacation. This is part of my Fate series.
1. Preparations

Preparations

Mike Franks took credit for having everyone settle in Campeche, but in truth, it was Abuela, the family's housekeeper, who had led the family to the beautiful city.

Years and years before she had visited her maternal grandparents, who lived there, and it was the story of those idyllic visits that she shared with Tony. He, in turn, begged his father to take them to Mexico, and after a solid year of his son's pleading, Jethro Gibbs finally agreed.

Tony's spring break from school was in March, so Jethro booked airline tickets to access the Mexican city and reserved a suite at a local hotel. Abuela had cousins living in the area, but she hadn't seen them in some time, and didn't want to intrude.

Former NCIS Special Agent Mike Franks, Jethro's first NCIS boss, had resigned from NCIS several years earlier. Since then, he had led a nomadic existence, but made it to Washington, DC, a couple of times a year to visit his former probationary agent. His latest visit coincided with the Campeche, Mexico travel plans, and intriuged, he announced he would accompany them, as well.

Gibbs worked overtime for two months at NCIS before the vacation date, feeling guilty that he would be leaving his team for a week. Difficult as it was for him to break away from what he perceived as his responsibility, though, his son's excitement and delight with the excursion made it worth the guilt.

Tony was beside himself with anticipation, effectively driving the adults to distraction with his chatter and announcements of what he wanted to pack. Maria Osiorio, or Abuela to Tony, finally came up with the idea of taking Anthony shopping for his take on bag several days before the flight.

He spent a great deal of time poring over the selected luggage, commenting on which ones had Velcro and which had zippers, which possessed pockets, which color looked good, and which could hold most of his treasures.

After thirty minutes of comparison, Maria called time, and he grabbed his final choice, a rolling Spiderman bag. Once home he set it in a place of honour by the television, and spent hours adding to and subtracting contents from its depths.

Maria, of course, took over the packing for Jethro, Tony, and herself. Mike had one duffel bag which followed him from one locale to another, and he was not her responsibility. Gibbs and Tony turned out to be the problems.

Gibbs chose exactly one change of clothes, arguing that he wasn't planning to need any other apparel, that two outfits would suit him. He pointed out that warmer climates required fewer clothes, and that Maria was viewing the clothing through her Washington, DC eyes. Maria simply waited until he was out of the house to locate the items she deemed essential for the trip, and she packed them quietly and furtively.

What Gibbs lacked in fashion consciousness, Tony made up for with his excessive concern about his own clothes and future appearance. More than one meltdown occurred when Maria firmly removed or added wardrobe pieces to the suitcase. Tony was a five year old fashionista. Eventually, though, the bags were packed and ready the night before departure, and Maria was busy adding items to the carry on luggage.

Mike was out to supper with another agency buddy. Gibbs supervised Tony's bath to free Maria, who was spending the night with them, then dried and pajamed Tony and told him he could have television time. Left to his own devices, Tony discovered a _Pippi Longstocking_ movie and divided his time glued to the set, commenting on the plot, racing his toy cars on the floor, running to the entry to pull out items from his bag, and jumping from the sofa to the armchair.

Coming through the living room with a load of laundry Maria scolded, "Bambino! Calmarse de inmediato! Settle down immediately!" Tony smiled his angelic smile and Maria blew him a kiss as she continued to the upstairs rooms.

Gibbs passed her on the landing, and he jogged down the steps in time to see Tony throw out his arms and "fly" from the back of the sofa to the chair. "Hey!" he barked immediately. "Get your rear end sitting down by that tv and don't let me catch you jumping off the furniture again!" Tony responded by puffing his bottom lip out into a pout and folding his arms defiantly across his chest.

Gibbs responded with a firm, "One!" which preceded picking his son up and depositing him in front of the television. As soon as he was released Tony scrambled backwards on his rear end until he was back at the sofa, then eyed his parent defiantly.

Jethro held up two fingers and called out "Two!" Then he added a warning, " Now you know what's going to happen if I get to three." Tony responded by picking up the nearest toy truck and hurling it in his father's general direction.

Jethro sidestepped the missile and announced, "and that, my little man, was three!" Before Tony could react Jethro scooped him off the floor, sat down with a thunk on the sofa cushion, placed his son across his knees, divested him of his pajama bottoms, and landed five stinging swats on his five year old backside.

Tony's screams of outrage and tears of pain brought Maria to the upstairs landing and she leaned over the rail to call out, "Bed time, now- come here, nino." That brought a sobbing response of renewed protest from Tony, who, released from Jethro's firm grasp, began declaring loudly that he was not sleepy and didn't want to go to bed. Jethro grabbed his hand, led him to the foot of the stairs, swatted his bottom (which brought a fresh onslaught of tears) and told him to get up the stairs and to his room immediately.

Smiling his thanks at Maria, he called out, "I'll be up in a couple of minutes."

Ten minutes later he entered Tony's bedroom. Tony was just finishing his prayers, and Maria kissed him goodnight before turning him over to his father.

Jethro helped Tony under the covers and tucked him in securely prior to opening the book Tony had chosen for bedtime. Before he began reading he settled against the headboard and pulled Tony to him, kissing the top of his head and ruffling his hair. "I want you to tell me why you got that spanking downstairs."

Tony played with the covers a second before looking at his father sideways. "I distobeyed you."

Gibbs smiled at the answer and didn't bother to correct his son's vocabulary, then opened _Green Eggs and Ham _and began the narration. Ten minutes later he closed the finished book and placed it on the nightstand, returned Tony's kiss and hug, and cut off the lamp by Tony's bed. He checked to make sure the baby monitor was engaged, and headed towards the hall.

"Night Daddy," Tony called as Gibbs slipped out of the room.

An hour later the three adults were congregated in the living room, exhausted from the day's activities and the vacation preparations. Thirty minutes after that they divided and headed their separate ways to bed.

Gibbs automatically headed back to Tony's. Standing in the doorway his heart swelled with pride and love at the little being. Tony had wriggled, as he usually did, to the very bottom of the bed, losing covers along the way. Gibbs repositioned him and covered him again before tiptoeing out of the room and into his own.


	2. Getting There

Getting There

Less than eighteen hours later the entire group was aboard the plane and headed for a Mexican vacation. Waking up, dressing, and loading the car had gone smoothly, mainly because Tony slept through Maria stripping off his pajamas and dressing him, and didn't wake until his dad stood him on his stool in front of the toilet and had him use the bathroom.

Once Jethro helped him to wash his hands and brush his teeth he handed him to Mike, who hauled him out to the waiting car. Tony fell right back to sleep, strapped in and sitting bolt upright. He didn't fully come to life until they were in the airport waiting room.

Armed with the juice and sausage biscuit they'd gotten at an airport diner, Tony slid off of the waiting room chair and started to explore. Three voices immediately instructed him to stay within sight and he sighed and made his way to the floor to ceiling window overlooking the tarmac.

He spent several minutes peacefully regarding the comings and goings of the air traffic, and was especially transfixed by the luggage handlers loading and unloading from the bellies of the aircraft.

His imagination continued to follow the action until a body sat down beside him and a little girl's voice interrupted him. Tony assessed the newcomer warily, taking in her blond pigtails, missing front tooth, and flowered sundress.

"My name's Lisa," she announced, and he introduced himself.

They soon began a conversation that included personal biographical sketches and a listing of favourite cartoon characters, and Tony decided that in spite of the fact that she was a girl and not a boy, she was fun.

He was more than a little envious of her missing tooth, since he still had all of his baby teeth, and he began wiggling one of his front ones as she explained the largesse of the tooth fairy.

The announcement sounded for boarding and both obeyed the order of parents to return to the home group. Tony was fascinated by the stewardess who checked the boarding passes, and she found him to be cute, so allowed him to help her until Maria pulled him along.

Luckily Jethro had arranged a row of seats across the middle of the plane so all of them could sit together. Tony sat between Maria and Jethro and was wild with excitement as the plane taxied and began its ascent.

Once airborne, Mike, on the aisle side and on the other side of Gibbs, retrieved Tony's Spiderman bag from the bin above. Tony proceeded to pull out treasures and amuse himself, alternated with voicing comments and questions he volleyed at the adults, interspersed with attempts to loosen his front tooth. Once lunch was served and eaten, Gibbs escorted Tony to the restroom.

Upon their return, Gibbs and Maria pulled up their armrests so that Tony would have a good space for a nap.

Realizing what was coming he immediately began to fuss and protested loudly, "Abuela, no nap! No tengo sueno a todos los! Daddy, Daddy, I don't need the siesta. I am not sleepy at all!"

Maria ignored his argument and pulled him on her lap with him facing her. That gave her a position to rub his back soothingly and rub the back of his head while she pulled his head gently down on her shoulder. Tony initiated his pout, then he began whimpering to build up to a dramatically tearful and vocal protest.

Within a couple of minutes, though, he stopped arguing and trying to escape and gave into the relaxing massage.

A few minutes later when she felt the tenseness leave his body and his hand drop from where he held her hair, she nodded to Gibbs, who peeked under her hair to check Tony, whose face was hidden on Maria's shoulder. Sure enough, his eyes were closed and he was breathing steadily.

Jethro repositioned his son so that his head was in Maria's lap and his feet in his dad's, then removed the little guy's sneakers before covering him with the blue blanket supplied by the air carrier.

He smiled at Mike, who nodded and whispered, "Yeah, he's way too grown up for a siesta, Probie."

Once the whirlwind that was Anthony was quiet, the adults mentally relaxed and sank into the peace and solitude of Tony's naptime.


	3. Putting Down Roots

Putting Down Roots

Five hours later they were engrossed in a spectacular view of the Gulf of Mexico, courtesy of their perch on their hotel room balcony.

Tony, clasped tightly by Mike, was waving excitedly to the ships tied up at the dock across the roadway in front of them. Still tiny for his age, he could not see over the rails at all.

They were interrupted when Maria's name was called loudly from below by two or three voices. Looking down, the group discovered the greeting party waving sombreros and flashing smiles. Maria called down an answer, then waved them up.

Tony, realizing that company was on the way, began struggling to get down so that he could personally greet them at the door. Jethro reminded him in a stern voice that he was not allowed to open the door- only an adult was- so Tony grabbed Maria's hand so that he could still let them in as co-greeter.

The visitors turned out to be Maria's sister and two of her sister's grown children, and the suite was soon filled with laughter.

Jethro told Tony that Maria needed to visit privately with her company and they should go to their room, but Maria nixed the plan by declaring that she had to show off her grandbaby to the family.

So Tony got to stay, and was passed from lap to lap, kissed and coddled, and he was in his triumphant element. Jethro and Mike shook their heads incredulously as Tony poured on the charm.

Their company found the youngster's Spanish brilliant, his smile captivating, his looks adorable, and his questions cute and precocious.

Even with Tony in the room, though, chattering away and entertaining the company, they managed to make plans for Maria to spend the vacation with the family, who lived a few kilometres outside of town.

Tony demanded to go, as well, and Maria also wanted the bambino with her, but Gibbs was firm and insisted Maria needed a relaxing break on her own. Responding immediately to the plan, Tony's lip started to move into his practiced pout, and his eyes filled with tears.

Finally a compromise was reached that Maria would spend the next two days solely with her relatives, and on the third day, Tony would join her and spend the day and a night in the village, as well.

The next day Tony, Mike, and Gibbs investigated the archaeological and historical significance of the area with a tour of the city and outlying land, capped by a laser light show. Following up bright and early the next morning, Mike excused himself to rent a car and travel to visit a former agent who had retired some kilometres away.

Jethro and Tony spent the day enjoying the spectacular beauty of the coast. Setting up their beach necessities under the shade of a bright umbrella, Gibbs revelled in the one on one time he devoted to building sand castles with Tony, and watching his baby's joy and delight as he ran in and out of the salty water.

When it was time for them to enjoy the picnic lunch Tony didn't want to leave the water, but his father insisted, knowing instinctively that Tony was going to need a nap very, very soon.

Once they had eaten and cleaned up the food remains Gibbs told Tony he had to stay on the beach blanket for an hour while his food settled. Slyly, Jethro added that there would be absolutely no return to the surf at all unless Tony had lain silently the whole time. Tony, surprisingly, agreed, and was sound asleep within four minutes.

Gibbs congratulated himself for his cunning and settled back to read until Tony woke. Pushing the book aside, though, he contemplated having a place as idyllic as this one to come to and vacation. The peace would suit him, and Tony loved the area.

The rest of the afternoon passed just as ideally. Near them on the beach some teens set up camp, which included a volleyball net and ball. Tony gravitated to it immediately and watched the ball go from one side of the net to the other, taking in the calls and commands and the evident camaraderie.

Pretty soon he was begging the group's leader to let him play too, but Jethro came up and pulled him to the side, telling him he was too little to participate in a match. Tony's feelings were hurt, and he wiped at his eyes as he tried to convince his father he was big enough to play.

"He can play, "the leader interrupted the chaos, approaching father and child, and smiling conspiratorially at Tony.

He had taken a shine to the little guy. "I'll hold him and help him. We'll watch out for him, ok?"

Tony broke loose from his father and raced to his saviour, as Jethro thanked the teens for letting Tony in on the action. One of the other boys squatted down to Tony's eye level and gave him a rundown of the rules. Tony nodded intently and said he understood.

So, a little volleyball sportsman was created on the beach that day.

The boys started out holding Tony up so that he could help drive the ball across the net, but after several assists, he squirmed down to act as a defense man, doing his part to make sure the ball didn't hit the ground on his side of the net.

The teens played with spirit and Tony kept up with them, with the exception of a couple of falls in the sand, at which his reaction was to jump right back up, smile at his father to let him know he was ok, and to keep playing. Tony's side won the match, and they lifted Tony on their shoulders and paraded him back to his proud, laughing daddy.

He was beside himself with excitement, and the teens wanted to tell Gibbs that his son was a natural athlete.

When they made it back to the hotel that night they were both exhausted, but happy. Jethro ran Tony's bath and was taken aback a bit when he stripped him of his tee shirt and swimsuit. Tony had a definite tan line, and once bathed, was marked with several red places where Jethro had missed coating him with sunscreen.

His hair had gotten some sun as well, and some blond highlights were bleached into the brown. He stood patiently, though, while his father lathered him with creamy lotion in a hope that the red would turn to tan and not a burn.

Once lotioned and pajamaed, Gibbs left him watching television while he took his own shower.

Ten minutes later he emerged to find Tony sound asleep on the floor. He picked him up carefully and tucked him in bed.

Sitting a minute by his son he allowed a few moments to acknowledge how Shannon, Tony's mom, would have felt about the day. She wouldn't have let him join in with such bigger kids, Jethro knew, nor would she have allowed her baby to broil in the son. She was definitely an overprotective parent.

She used to take Tony to the grocery and return, laughing, saying, "How did we manage to create such a ladies' man, Jethro? He oozes charm when anyone approaches! And his smile..."

He settled back against the headboard and raw pain at how much he missed her, and their daughter, Kelly, washed over him. They had been dead so long now that Tony couldn't even remember the two being part of their everyday life.

The next day was Tony's day with Abuela, and she, knowing he would be waiting for her impatiently, returned to the hotel to get him after breakfast. Launching himself at her, he excitedly recounted his glorious day of beach and sports in a mixed barrage of Spanish and English, and cooperated immediately at having his hair brushed and clothes packed for his overnight visit.

Kissing Gibbs good bye, he threw his arms around him and Jethro scooped him up and embraced him tightly. Maria and Gibbs decided that Jethro would come pick both of them up the following afternoon, and with arrangements complete, the new day began.

Jethro himself had a secret agenda, and after obtaining some information and directions from the hotel's concierge, he began his mission.

Maria and Tony strolled leisurely through the open market areas of Campeche and spent the morning shopping. Tony was thrilled that he had was able to choose some of the clothes Abuela purchased for him from the money Gibbs had given her, and was beside himself with excitement over the colourful sombrero he was currently wearing.

For such a little fellow, he had a very pronounced fashion sense. Maria allowed him to choose a couple of toys, which he did, but then he insisted that he had to buy souvenirs for Dr. Mallard and for Mrs. Mallard, and also for his grandfather.

Once those gifts were chosen, Maria purchased some items to go in Tony's bedroom and for knick knacks at home in DC.

Her nephew, Lorenzo, joined them at a pre arranged outdoor cafe, and Tony took to him immediately. After they had eaten they made the trip to the home village in quiet solitude, Tony having fallen asleep the moment Maria's nephew cranked the car. He carried Tony inside the house and Maria let him sleep while she packed their goodies into the take home bags.

The wonderful thing about being from a small village was that it was really just an extended family. This particular one had been home to generations of fishermen from as far back as anyone could remember. It was not a rich place, but it was decent, and picturesque.

Maria watched fondly as Tony joined the other children in the town square to play, and shone with pride as he joined into the childish conversations with superb Spanish. She relaxed, as she couldn't do in Washington, knowing that Tony would come to no harm and could play outdoors without eagle eyed supervision.

Joining her sister in the shade of a mangrove tree, she caught up with news and gossip and reminisced to her heart's content.

Meanwhile, a game of soccer was beginning further out on the outskirts- par for the course as an afternoon activity with the kids.

Tony made a decision that he wanted to learn to play that game, and he raced back with Miguel, a newly befriended buddy two years older than Tony, and Emily, Miguel's younger sister who had developed a crush on the gringo.

He knew that he had to ask permission to leave Maria's eyesight so he could join in the soccer fun.

"No, Bambino, no- you do not know this area, and I can not have you where I can not see you. Usted debe permanecer cerca," Maria responded, pulling him closer to her so that she could wipe his face with a cloth.

"Abuela, por favor! Por Favor! Sólo voy a ir allí y en ninguna otra parte! Please, I won't go anywhere but there!" Tony launched himself at her and embraced her around the neck, then began kissing her over and over and flashing her the pleading, heartbreaking look that usually won her over.

Before she could respond, Miguel interjected that he, personally, would return Tony when the game was over.

Beginning to crumble, Maria untangled Tony and pushed his face up to look at her. "But you don't know how to play soccer, nieto. You could get hurt."

This time little Emily jumped in, assuring Maria that her brother was a good teacher. Tony flashed the little girl a grateful smile, and decided he'd pay more attention to her from then on.

Maria capitulated, but with several caveats that the three children accepted. As they disappeared from view her sister leaned over and said softly, "He is yours, Hermana. He has so much love for you."

Maria nodded silently, and felt tears creep into her eyes. She did love Tony so much, and her affection and loyalty to Gibbs ran just as deep.

Tony, of course, turned out to be a natural at soccer. It took him around fifteen minutes to figure out the strategy of the game, and within an hour, he was the star player. From that point on, he made one successful goal after another.

Maria had decided to check on him, anyway, after an hour, and she found him filthy, happy, and in the middle of a fierce competition. When the game finally concluded, Tony had been accepted by the locals as one of them. Excited voices told him to return quickly, and assured him they played every day.

Maria had run through counting to one, then to two, and finally had to threaten a spanking before Tony would actually leave the unofficial soccer field, but she did agree to let him play again the next day.

Once back at her sister's the family laughed good naturedly at his filthy appearance, but like with the children, he quickly became a part of the family. Tony insisted he could get all of the dirt off in the bath by himself, so Maria let him give it a go. However, when he came out of the bathroom after his bath dripping brown water drops, she took him back and bathed him herself.

His skin had tanned, and his hair was streaked with blond. She dried him off and allowed him to put on a new pair of pajamas they had bought in the market that morning. Climbing into her lap, he stroked her hair as she rocked steadily, and he fell asleep listening to the family exchange stories of years ago.

The same nephew went to collect Jethro from the hotel late the next afternoon to bring him to the village. Maria had already packed and had her things, as well as Tony's, ready to be transported back to their hotel in Campeche.

Looking around for his son, Jethro remarked quietly, "Well, I know he hasn't been kidnapped- they would pay us to come get him after he wore them out chasing him. So did you give him away or lose him?'

Maria laughed and told him to follow, but cautioned him she didn't want Tony to see them yet. When they approached the group of older children, once again engrossed in a fierce game of soccer, his heart swelled with pride when he spotted his son.

Tony was all over the field, and the calls of "Yeah, Antonio!' were repeated often, and with exhuberance. Jethro watched Tony's sure movements and the grace at which he played the field. There was no question that he was a born athlete, despite the fact that he was so small.

They waited for the game to come to its natural conclusion before collecting Tony, and Gibbs carried him back to the house while Maria attempted to wipe his face.

"What is this greasy stuff, here on your face, bambino?" She asked curiously, trying to rub it off of his cheek with her apron.

"Oh that," Tony replied dismissively. "Emily kissed me with that gunky lip stuff."

Maria and Gibbs burst out laughing, and Tony scowled in reply. "I told her to stop it, but she wouldn't! That's why I don't like girls. They always want to kiss me."

That brought more howls of laughter, and the adults were still smiling at the remembered words as they returned to the hotel.

Two days later they were reunited on the airplane for the flight home, or at least they were partially reunited. Mike Franks had travelled quite a way down the coast until he found a secluded area of beach with a ramshackle house for sale. He bought it, then announced he was staying put.

Meanwhile, Gibbs listened to Tony's narrative of the vacation and when Tony stopped suddenly and said he wanted to go back, Gibbs kissed him on the top of the head and told him his wish was granted.

He, himself, had been real estate shopping, and had purchased a house in the village next to Maria's family. Before he left he had paid her nephew to supervise repairs to the home, and turning to Maria, he told her he had purchased it for her as much as for them. Maria would be able to return there, once Tony was old enough to not require constant supervision, and live for the rest of her life.

He and Tony would be spending vacations there, as well.

Once Tony understood the future picture and was assured he could play soccer with the amigos again, he settled down contentedly, finally willing to temporarily return to home, sweet home.

Campeche had made a dramatic effect on all of them.


End file.
